Lehigh Valley Honors Convocation award recipients announced

May 6, 2014

Lehigh Valley Honors Convocation award recipients announced

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Academic award recipients, scholarship winners and University scholars were recognized for their achievements on Thursday, May 1, at Penn State Lehigh Valley’s 28th annual Honors Convocation. For images from this event, visit www.flickr.com/psulehighvalley.

This honor recognizes a student who has completed two full years at a Commonwealth Campus and whose outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship have positively influenced fellow students and have contributed to the prestige and well-being of his or her campus and, hence, to the reputation of the University as a whole.

This award is presented annually to undergraduate degree candidates and provisional students who have earned a 4.00 (A) cumulative grade-point average based on at least 12 graded Penn State credits completed by the end of the fall semester of the academic year the award is given.

2014 President Sparks Award: Zahra Jaffer (Macungie, Pa.)

This award is presented annually to those undergraduate degree candidates who have earned a 4.00 (A) cumulative grade-point average based on at least 36 graded Penn State credits completed by the end of the fall semester of the academic year the award is given.

This award is presented to the student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and promise in the field of sociology. Special consideration is given to those who have presented papers at professional conferences, have published in a sociology journal or whose work has furthered Penn State’s promise in the area of outreach scholarship.

Creative Writing Award: Brayden R. Ford (Telford, Pa.) – First Place;

Rebecca A. Kinsey (Fogelsville, Pa.) – Second Place

This award, established by retired English faculty member Margaret Smart in 1989, recognizes excellent fiction or poetry written during the current academic year by a student at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

This award is presented to a student whose writing demonstrates sophisticated analysis or interpretation of literature and/or exceptional master of voice, content and form.

Excellence in Public Speaking Award: Simranjeet Singh (Easton, Pa.)

Recognizing the importance of effective communication in the world, this award is conferred upon the student who demonstrates excellence in public communication. Excellence in researching and presenting a speech required in a current Penn State Lehigh Valley course are the criteria for selection.

This award is presented to a first-year student for outstanding academic achievement in all four lecture and laboratory courses in chemistry.

Mathematical Excellence Award: Michael C. Thor (Glen Gardner, N.J.)

This award is presented to a student completing his or her sophomore year who has demonstrated excellence in the calculus and differential equations series of courses and who has evinced an appreciation for the depth, power and beauty of mathematics.

Outstanding Art Student Award: Lucas M. Baker (Allentown, Pa.)

This award recognizes a student whose work demonstrates excellence in a variety of media in art projects done in courses offered at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

This award is given to a student who has earned an A in at least three semesters of Spanish at our campus, has been an active member in classes and activities organized to promote Hispanic culture, and has shown a serious interest in pursuing language studies (minor or major in Spanish) or a major in Latin American studies.

This award is presented to the elementary education major who has demonstrated outstanding performance as a student teacher.

Outstanding Tutor Award: Kelly L. Youwakim (Whitehall, Pa.)

This award is given to the individual who displays excellence in the Learning and/or Writing Center. Professional and peer tutors are eligible for this award. Special consideration is given to individuals based upon length of service, number of students served, and feedback from students, faculty and staff.

Established by the Penn State Lehigh Valley Women’s Commission, this award is presented to an adult student who has shown academic excellence and displayed outstanding leadership qualities. This award is now given in memory of Maybelle A. Furchner.